National Aeronautics and Space Administration The Earth Observer. July - August 2009. Volume 21, Issue 4. Editor’s Corner Steve Platnick ebra el t c in EOS Senior Project Scientist – Acting g t 2009 w On June 22-24 the Earth Science Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate and • e n the National Academy of Sciences hosted a symposium called NASA Earth System Sci- t y s y r e ence at 20: Accomplishments, Plans, and Challenges (ESS@20) that took place at the Na- a tional Academy of Sciences building in Washington, DC. This event was a chance to focus 1989 2 on the past, present, and future of Earth System Science. The meeting featured a retrospective on the twenty-year history of the Earth Observing System (EOS) Program that began with the publication of the landmark Bretherton report in 1988. It also included a look ahead to the future of Earth System Science, with particular emphasis on the importance of maintaining satellite data continuity in the coming years. In his closing remarks, Ralph Cicerone, President of the National Academy, noted the im- portance of interagency collaborations in addressing climate and other Earth Science issues, and stressed that effective outreach and communication are key complements to all Earth Science research. A summary of the symposium is being planned for an upcoming issue. continued on page 2 the earth observer Rising above the two lightning towers around the launchpad at Cape Canaveral, a Delta IV rocket races into the sky carrying the GOES-O satellite into orbit. Photo credit: NASA/ Kim Shiflett. www.nasa.gov 02 The Earth Observer July - August 2009 Volume 21, Issue 4 the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) that describe eos.nasa.gov the evolution of the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS). Rama has been involved with EOSDIS since its inception and thus is well qualified to reflect on the history of the program. In This Issue As you might imagine, creating a system that success- fully distributes over 150 million data product files each Editor’s Corner Front Cover year wasn’t without its hiccups and Rama shares some of that rocky road. He tells us about how EOSDIS was Feature Articles conceived and the ongoing struggle between engineers EOS Data and Information System (designers) and scientists (users) to seek out what Rama (EOSDIS): Where We Were and calls the Goldilocks compromise—i.e., the data system Where We Are, Part I 4 that was “just right” for all involved. We hope you en- Operation Ice Bridge: A Journal of joy this article about the design and implementation My Expedition to Greenland 12 of a world-class data and information system. (Look HITRAN: A History 20 for the conclusion of Rama’s article in our September– NASA “Treks” to Iowa for Problem- October issue.) Solving Competition 22 Two more EOS milestones were recently achieved. June editor's corner Meeting/Workshop Summaries 19 marked the 10th anniversary of the launch of the NASA’s contribution to the Group on Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) mission. QuikSCAT Earth Observations (GEO) Global carried a SeaWinds instrument into orbit and was de- Agricultural Monitoring System signed to be a “quick recovery,” to fill in the data gap of Systems 24 that occurred when the Japanese Midori [also called the NASA LCLUC Spring Science Advanced Earth Observing Satellite (ADEOS)] satellite, Team Meeting Summary 30 on which the NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) flew, lost CERES Science Team power suddenly in June 1997. QuikSCAT was designed Meeting Summary 34 to have a three-year lifespan, but ten years after launch, the vector wind data that QuikSCAT gathers over the In The News oceans in all-weather conditions continue to be used by First Take: Data Users Line Up to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Give On-Camera Earth (NOAA) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Observation Testimonials 38 Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) for operational use. South Carolina Wildfire Offers Langley Researchers Close-up Look at Smoke 40 Also, July 15 marked the 5th anniversary of the launch NASA, Japan Release Most Complete of Aura. The high vertical resolution profiles of the Topographic Map of Earth 42 atmosphere that Aura makes have been critical to under- Satellites Guide Relief to Earthquake standing ozone, air quality, atmospheric chemistry, and Victims 43 climate change. In October 2007, a change in orbit was initiated, moving Aura closer to Aqua in the Afternoon Regular Features Satellite “A-Train” Constellation. To read about some EOS Scientists in the News 44 of Aura’s notable science highlights, visit: aura.gsfc.nasa. NASA Science Mission Directorate— gov/science/auratop10.html. You can also read a summary Science Education Update 46 of the last Aura Science Team meeting in our January- Science Calendars 47 February 2009 [Volume 21, Issue 1, pp. 41-42] issue. The Earth ObserverInformation/Inquiries The next meeting is planned for September 2009. Con- Back Cover gratulations to both the QuikSCAT and Aura Teams on their achievements! On June 27 at 6:51 PM, the latest Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, GOES-O, was Our ongoing Perspectives on EOS series has endeavored launched into space from Cape Canaveral Air Force to chronicle the history of EOS, including personal ac- Station in Florida aboard a Delta IV rocket. GOES-O counts by those involved in its early implementation. is the second in the GOES-N series of geostationary In this issue, we continue our series with the first of environmental weather satellites launched by NASA for two articles from H. K. “Rama” Ramapriyan from NOAA. NOAA manages the GOES program which The Earth Observer July - August 2009 Volume 21, Issue 4 03 provides severe weather information for meteorolo- Ice Bridge (OIB). His experience, entitled Operation gists and the public. GSFC procures the spacecraft and Ice Bridge: A Journal of My Expedition to Greenland, manages their design, development and launch. (Upon is on page 12 of this issue. This journal complements reaching geosynchronous orbit at 89.5° W longitude on blogs featured in past issues, such as Lora Koenig’s July 8, 2009 NASA transferred operations to NOAA stay at Summit Camp, Greenland [Volume 21, Issues and GOES-O name was changed to GOES 14.) Con- 2 and 3] and the Arctic Research of the Composi- gratulations to the NASA/NOAA team on another suc- tion of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites cessful launch! (ARCTAS) campaign [Volume 20, Issues 4 and 6]. These firsthand accounts of research in the Arctic not On the education and outreach front, as it has for the only give unique (and often entertaining) perspectives past eight years, the Earth Observing System Project on the challenges of doing science research in remote Science Office (EOSPSO) sponsored an Odyssey of environments, but they also highlight the importance the Mind (OM) long-term problem. Students exam- of studying the polar regions, where the impacts of ined environmental change in this Earth Trek problem climate change are expected to be the most significant. by building a “vehicle” that changed as it traveled to four locations. EOSPSO staff members “trekked” to Finally, I’m pleased to announce the recently released Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa for this year’s OM video production, The Dynamic Earth: NASA Observes World Finals. More details on the competition and Our Ever-Changing Planet. This 17–minute video pro- NASA’s presence there are featured in an article on page vides a brief introduction to Earth System Science 22 of this issue. and NASA’s role in observing and studying our chang- editor's corner ing planet. The video is available for viewing on the I’d like to mention two multimedia-related items EOSPSO website (eospso.gsfc.nasa.gov/) or can be down- of interest. To gather information for an upcoming loaded from: eospso.gsfc.nasa.gov/eos_homepage/for_edu- video on NASA’s Airborne Science Program, Chris cators/educational_dvd.php. At the latter link, you’ll also Chrissotimos made the long journey to Greenland to find links to the video’s acronym and glossary lists, and observe an aircraft field experiment called Operation video weblinks to other NASA Earth Science sites. May 2, 2009 May 3, 2009 In Santa Barbara County, a wildfire, called the Jesusita fire, ignited on May 5, 2009, in the Cathedral Peak area northwest of Mission Canyon. As of midday May 8, the fire, which was 10% contained, had scorched 3,500 acres, damaged or destroyed 75 structures, and had forced the evacua- tion of tens of thousands of residents. The images above show soil moisture change in the top soil layer (2-in deep) on May 2–3, 2009, as measured by the NASA QuikSCAT satellite scatterometer (radar). On May 2, rainwater increased the amount of moisture in the soil by a modest 4%. However, by the next day QuikSCAT revealed that whatever rainwater had accumulated earlier quickly dried up over the whole area. This is indicated by the lighter shades of grey in the image from May 3. (To view these images in color please visit: photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA12006.) The rapid dry-up in Santa Barbara together with high winds and unusually high temperatures contributed to the devastating Jesusita fire. Quik- SCAT can provide soil moisture information that is critical to enhance the capability for Red Flag Warning and to improve the National Fire Danger Rating System. Credit: NASA/JPL/QuikSCAT Science Team. 04 The Earth Observer July - August 2009 Volume 21, Issue 4 EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS): Where We Were and Where We Are, Part I H. K. Ramapriyan (Rama), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, [email protected] Over 150 million data product files are This article continues our ongoing Perspectives on EOS series.